Samsung Galaxy Note sells five million

Samsung's oddly sized Galaxy Note 'phablet' has managed to sell five million worldwide in a surprising thumbs up for the massive 5.3-inch form factor.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is either a massive phone or a tiny tablet depending on your viewpoint. Armed with a 5.3-inch screen and a built-in "S pen" stylus, the success of the Galaxy Note suggests that consumers find the hybrid size an attractive category.

Such has been the skepticism of Samsung's hybrid category that US media greeted the announcement with skepticism, assuming for the most part that Samsung were talking about shipped Galaxy Notes rather than those actually sold at retail.

Samsung has since clarified that five million Galaxy Notes have been sold to consumers. A raft of tech pundits decried the Galaxy Note as being too big and found little value in the ability to take notes with a stylus other than a fleeting novelty value.

This wouldn't be the first time that the specialist press has been at odds with real world consumer trends.

The Korean electronics giant also revealed that the company has been spectacularly successful in their own market, locking down 67 per cent market share in Korea.